CHANGES AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE, AND INTENTION TO WORK WITH OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Curricular intervention studies have examined if instruction in aging and gerontology affects undergraduates’ attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions toward older adults. However, less is known about the curricular impact on undergraduates’ intentions to work with older adults and attitudes and knowledge about sexuality and aging. The current longitudinal study examined the impact of an upper-level adult development psychology course on student attitudes, knowledge, and intentions toward working with older adults. Participants were 8 undergraduate students enrolled in upper-level undergraduate psychology courses. Participants completed validated, self-report questionnaires at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester related to their attitudes towards working with older adults, ageism attitudes, aging sexual knowledge and attitudes, and attitudes and knowledge about aging. Paired samples t-tests were used to examine changes in main outcome variables. Students endorsed significantly greater attitudes toward working with older adults at the end of the semester (t = -2.57, p = .037). Additionally, knowledge about sexual aging significantly increased (t = 2.62, p = 0.34). These findings suggest curricular interventions may positively impact attitudes toward working with older adults and sexual aging knowledge. Future work will evaluate predictors of change in attitudes, knowledge, and intentions. By identifying factors that increase undergraduates’ intentions to work with older adults and improve attitudes and knowledge regarding sexual aging, we may elucidate meaningful points of intervention to enhance the pursuit of careers in the geriatric workforce.

psychologists to be better equipped to challenge ageism and to provide more effective and compassionate care to older adults.In the present study, we compared psychology students (n = 50) that chose courses in applied geropsychology with students of other specialization of choice (n = 26) on multiple scales including affective (attitudes), cognitive (stereotypes) and behavioral (discrimination) dimensions.Questionnaires were completed at the beginning and the end of one semester to conduct a within pre-and posttreatment assessment and analysis with a comparison group.Results showed that geropsychology students improved in self-reported knowledge about aging and older adults (d = 0.71).However, other tests did not show a statistically reliable improvement on the three assessed ageism dimensions within one semester.Findings implicate that gained knowledge about aging does not necessarily lower prejudice.In our discussion we highlight possible interventions targeting psychology students and reflect on methods to assess attitudes, stereotypes, and behavioral aspects of ageism in participants with high education level.Curricular intervention studies have examined if instruction in aging and gerontology affects undergraduates' attitudes, knowledge, and perceptions toward older adults.However, less is known about the curricular impact on undergraduates' intentions to work with older adults and attitudes and knowledge about sexuality and aging.The current longitudinal study examined the impact of an upper-level adult development psychology course on student attitudes, knowledge, and intentions toward working with older adults.Participants were 8 undergraduate students enrolled in upper-level undergraduate psychology courses.Participants completed validated, self-report questionnaires at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester related to their attitudes towards working with older adults, ageism attitudes, aging sexual knowledge and attitudes, and attitudes and knowledge about aging.Paired samples t-tests were used to examine changes in main outcome variables.Students endorsed significantly greater attitudes toward working with older adults at the end of the semester (t = -2.57,p = .037).Additionally, knowledge about sexual aging significantly increased (t = 2.62, p = 0.34).These findings suggest curricular interventions may positively impact attitudes toward working with older adults and sexual aging knowledge.Future work will evaluate predictors of change in attitudes, knowledge, and intentions.By identifying factors that increase undergraduates' intentions to work with older adults and improve attitudes and knowledge regarding sexual aging, we may elucidate meaningful points of intervention to enhance the pursuit of careers in the geriatric workforce.
Abstract citation ID: igad104.2698Appraisal and interpretation of personal experiences resulting from interaction with situational contexts might play an important role in shaping subjective age at within-person level, but it is unclear how this process unfolds.We propose that older adults evaluate situational contexts and reflect on their general psychological resources when determining their subjective age, and tested this proposal with volition of daily activities as proxy for appraisal of situational contexts and control beliefs as proxy for psychological resources.We hypothesize that appraising daily activities one engaged in as obligatory would deplete one's perceived control and concomitantly make one feel older.Older adults (n=116) ranging in age from 60 to 90 (M=64.71)completed a nine-day daily diary study online, resulting in 743 total days.Participants reported their sociodemographic characteristics on Day 1 and major daily activities, volition of every reported activity, felt age, and control beliefs on Days 2-9.Results showed that on days when older adults felt that activities they engaged in were more of their own volition, they also felt more in control.Lower-level mediation result suggests that withinperson control beliefs mediated the relationship between volition of daily activities and subjective age.Our findings suggest that older adults evaluate situational contexts and reflect on their control beliefs as a general psychological resource when determining their subjective age.These findings show the important role psychological resources play in determining subjective age from a within-person perspective and extended the within-person process proposed in previous theoretical models.

CONTROL BELIEFS MEDIATE THE WITHIN-PERSON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EVERYDAY CONTEXT AND SUBJECTIVE AGE
Abstract citation ID: igad104.2699

DO INTERNALIZED AGE STEREOTYPES MEDIATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOLUNTEERING AND PURPOSE IN LIFE FOR ADULTS 50+?
Andrew Steward 1 , and Yating Zhu 2 , 1. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States,

University of Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States
The productive aging literature suggests that volunteering plays a crucial role in enhancing psychosocial well-being among older adults.A growing body of research based in stereotype embodiment theory also demonstrates significant negative health impacts of internalized age stereotypes.Yet, limited research explores which social engagement activities may both reduce internalized ageism and enhance psychosocial health as people age.This cross-sectional study investigated whether internalized age stereotypes mediate the relationship between volunteering and a sense of purpose in life for adults 50+.A convenience sample of volunteers (n = 154) 50+ years of age living in the U.S. Mountain West completed a 15-minute, online survey.The independent variable was number of volunteer hours per week (mean = 6.39,SD = 5.47).The dependent variable was purpose in life measured by six items from the positively worded, five-point purpose in life subscale of the Ryff psychological well-being scale (α = .75;mean = 3.93, SD = 0.61).Drawing from the selfstereotypes of aging scale, the indirect effects of five internalized positive (e.g., "wise" and "capable") and five negative (e.g., "grumpy" and "helpless") age stereotypes were tested.Results indicate that increased internalized positive, not negative, age stereotypes partially mediated the relationship between volunteer hours and purpose in life while holding constant age, gender, race, functional limitation, education, employment, self-rated health, and previous volunteer experience.The findings suggest that internalizing positive age stereotypes may function as a form of esteem and contribute to an enhanced sense of purpose in later life.Previous longitudinal studies indicate a positive causal association between older adults' Internet use and selfperception of aging (SPA).However, it is unclear whether this positive effect is truly due to the lagged within-person changes in Internet use or due to some stable, trait-like between-person differences.Thus, with between-person differences controlled, this study aimed to 1) examine reciprocal associations of within-person SPA and Internet use and 2) investigate the potential age, gender, race/ethnicity, and education group differences.Data used in this study were from the Health and Retirement Study (T1: 2008;T2: 2012;T3: 2016).Older adults aged 65 and older with normal cognition were included in the analysis (n = 6,666).Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPM) were applied to separate the within-and between-person effects regarding the associations between SPA and Internet use.Multiple-group analyses were used for testing group differences.Results showed positive carry-over stability of both Internet use and SPA across time.At the within-person level, only one crosslagged path, Internet use (T1) ♢ SPA (T2), was significant (b = .08,p < .05),indicating that the within-person Internet use change was predictive of within-person SPA change at T2.At the between-person level, SPA and ICT use were positively correlated (r = .16,p < .001).No group differences were identified.This study indicates that the positive effects of Internet use on SPA may be largely due to between-person differences.Internet use may promote SPA to some extent, but effects may plateau after a certain period of time.Progressing cognitive decline causes limitations on daily life and emotional changes, including increased aggression, agitation, and restlessness that might occasion greater scrutiny, limitations, discrimination, and disrespect due to a combination of care-provision and ageism.While there are Douglas Hanes, and Sean Clouston, Stony Brook University,  Stony Brook, New York, United States Shenghao Zhang 1 , and Shevaun Neupert 2 , 1.Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 2. North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States